Voice Search and AI Preparing Your Marketing Strategy for Voice-Activated Devices

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Voice technology is shaping the future of marketing—are your strategies ready?

As voice-activated devices continue to proliferate, they are transforming how consumers search, shop, and interact with technology. With more than half of all smartphone users now using voice search, this trend is no longer optional for brands—it’s foundational.

📈 The Rise of Voice Search: A Hands-Free Revolution

Voice-activated devices are rapidly gaining popularity thanks to their hands-free convenience. Whether it’s asking about the weather, placing an online order, or adjusting smart home settings, voice search has become a seamless part of daily routines.

Convenience, smart home integration, and growing consumer trust are accelerating adoption:

  • Voice assistants simplify tasks without requiring visual interaction.

  • Smart homes rely heavily on voice to manage lighting, climate, and security.

  • Improved security and user privacy controls have increased trust and usage.

🤖 Understanding AI’s Role in Voice Search

Natural Language Processing (NLP) at the Core

Voice search relies on AI-powered NLP to comprehend human language. As NLP advances, voice assistants better understand context, emotions, and intent, making them more accurate and helpful.

Machine Learning Enables Personalization

With machine learning, devices learn from user behavior to deliver more personalized responses. Over time, AI fine-tunes search results to better match individual preferences, habits, and speech patterns.

Voice Search Data Unlocks New Insights

AI doesn’t just power voice—it also analyzes it. Businesses can use AI-driven analytics to uncover insights from voice search patterns, helping refine marketing strategies and personalize messaging.

🎯 How to Optimize Your Marketing Strategy for Voice Search

1. Focus on Conversational Keywords

Voice queries are more natural and question-based. Optimize for long-tail keywords and natural language.

    • Use tools like AnswerThePublic or Google’s People Also Ask.

    • Include FAQ-style content to match user queries directly.

    • Integrate common spoken phrases into headings and answers.

2. Optimize for Local Search

Voice searches are often location-based. Ensure your business listings are consistent across platforms and create localized content.

    • Keep Google Business Profile and local directories up to date.

    • Write content that references local landmarks, events, or needs.

    • Use geotargeting in your advertising to attract nearby users.

3. Improve Site Speed and Mobile Friendliness

Most voice searches happen on mobile devices. A responsive, fast-loading website is essential.

    • Compress images, use caching, and streamline scripts.

    • Design for touch navigation and quick load times.

    • Simplify UX and CTAs for voice-driven visits.

4. Implement Structured Data

Use schema markup to help search engines understand your content’s context.

    • Increase your chances of being featured in voice snippets.

    • Prioritize markup for FAQs, local business info, and reviews.

5. Create High-Quality, Engaging Content

Google rewards informative, clear, and authoritative content that answers users’ questions.

    • Develop multi-format content (videos, infographics, podcasts).

    • Use storytelling to make your brand relatable.

    • Update content regularly to maintain relevance and visibility.

🔮 The Future of Voice Search and AI in Marketing

1. Hyper-Personalized Voice Experiences

AI will continue evolving to deliver real-time personalization through voice interactions, adjusting content, recommendations, and tone to each user.

Brands that master dynamic content adaptation via voice will build stronger, more loyal customer relationships.

2. Voice Commerce is Emerging Fast

V-commerce is expected to skyrocket. Brands must streamline voice checkout flows, ensure security, and integrate voice into omnichannel experiences.

3. Integration with Emerging Tech

Voice will merge with AR, VR, and IoT, allowing immersive, voice-driven customer journeys—from exploring virtual stores to controlling smart devices.

✅ Strategic Tips for Voice Search Marketing

    • Conduct voice-focused keyword research regularly

    • Design content around user intent, not just keywords

    • Prioritize local SEO and NAP consistency

    • Leverage structured data to boost discoverability

    • Audit your site for mobile UX and speed

    • Track voice search analytics and refine accordingly

🛠️ Tools and Resources to Support Your Strategy

    • Google Search Console – Monitor search performance and mobile usability

    • SEMrush / Ahrefs – Discover long-tail voice keywords

    • AnswerThePublic – Identify natural question-based queries

    • Yoast SEO / Schema Pro – Add structured data to your site

    • ChatGPT / Jasper – Create conversational content faster

    • Whisper by OpenAI – Explore voice-to-text integrations

🧭 Final Thoughts

Voice search and AI are no longer futuristic—they’re reshaping marketing today. Brands that adapt early will benefit from greater visibility, deeper customer engagement, and a competitive edge in an increasingly voice-driven digital landscape.

Note: This article was created with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence, based on verified concepts and frameworks in voice search and AI marketing strategy. It is subject to updates as technologies evolve.

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Comprehensive Guide to Successful Website Migration Without Losing SEO and Traffic

Migrating a website is a significant undertaking for any business. Whether you’re rebranding, changing domains, upgrading your platform, or enhancing site performance, it’s crucial to approach the migration process meticulously to preserve your search engine rankings and traffic. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the essential steps to ensure a smooth and SEO-friendly website migration.​

Understanding Website Migration and Its Impact on SEO

What is Website Migration?

Website migration refers to substantial changes made to a website that can affect its visibility on search engines. These changes may involve the site’s location, platform, structure, content, design, or user experience. Common types of migrations include:​

  • Domain Migration: Changing the website’s domain name (e.g., from oldsite.com to newsite.com).​

  • Platform Migration: Moving the site to a different content management system (CMS) or e-commerce platform.​

  • Structural Migration: Modifying the site’s architecture or URL structure.​

  • Design Migration: Overhauling the site’s design and user interface.​

  • Protocol Migration: Shifting from HTTP to HTTPS for enhanced security.​

How Does Migration Affect SEO?

A website migration can have both positive and negative impacts on SEO:​

  • Negative Impacts: If not handled correctly, migration can lead to broken links, loss of page rankings, decreased traffic, and indexing issues.​

  • Positive Impacts: Properly executed migrations can improve site performance, user experience, and ultimately boost search rankings.​

To minimize risks and maximize benefits, it’s essential to follow a structured migration plan.​

Pre-Migration Planning

1. Assemble a Competent Team

Gather a team comprising:​

  • Project Manager: To oversee the migration process.​

  • Developers: To handle technical aspects.​

  • SEO Specialists: To ensure SEO considerations are met.​

  • Content Managers: To oversee content-related tasks.​

2. Define Clear Objectives

Establish specific goals for the migration, such as:​

  • Improving site performance.​

  • Enhancing user experience.​

  • Rebranding or aligning with new business strategies.​

3. Conduct a Comprehensive Site Audit

Perform a thorough audit of your existing site to identify:​

  • Current SEO Performance: Analyze rankings, traffic sources, and high-performing pages.​

  • Content Inventory: Catalog all existing content.​

  • Technical Issues: Identify and document any existing technical problems.​

4. Benchmark Current Performance Metrics

Document key performance indicators (KPIs) such as:​

  • Organic traffic levels.​

  • Bounce rates.​

  • Conversion rates.​

  • Page load times.​

These benchmarks will help you assess the impact of the migration.​

5. Develop a Detailed Migration Plan

Create a comprehensive plan outlining:​

  • Scope of Changes: Detail what aspects of the site will change.​

  • Timeline: Set realistic deadlines for each phase.​ Duplicator

  • Risk Assessment: Identify potential risks and mitigation strategies.​

Preparing for Migration

6. Backup Your Existing Site

Ensure you have complete backups of your current website, including:​

  • Files: All site files and media.​

  • Databases: Full database backups.​

  • Configurations: Server and CMS configurations.​

7. Set Up a Staging Environment

Create a staging site to implement and test changes without affecting the live site. Ensure the staging environment is:​Semrush

  • Secure: Restricted from public access.​Semrush

  • Identical to Live Site: Mirrors the live site’s environment and configurations.​

8. Crawl and Document Existing URLs

Use crawling tools to extract all existing URLs. This helps in:​Seosly

  • Mapping Redirects: Ensuring old URLs correctly point to new URLs.​

  • Identifying Orphan Pages: Pages without internal links.​

9. Develop a Redirect Strategy

Plan 301 redirects to preserve link equity and guide users and search engines to the new URLs.​Semrush+1Duplicator+1

  • One-to-One Mapping: Redirect each old URL to the most relevant new URL.​

  • Avoid Redirect Chains: Ensure redirects point directly to the final destination.​

10. Update Internal Linking

Adjust internal links to reflect the new URL structure, preventing reliance on redirects and improving user experience.​

11. Prepare Updated Sitemaps

Create new XML sitemaps reflecting the updated URL structure to assist search engines in indexing the new site.​

Implementing the Migration

12. Execute the Migration During Low-Traffic Periods

Schedule the migration during times of minimal user activity to reduce the impact on users and allow for swift issue resolution.​

13. Monitor the Migration Process

Keep a close eye on the migration to promptly identify and address any issues that arise.​

14. Verify Redirects

After implementing redirects, test them to ensure they function correctly and lead to the appropriate pages.​Seosly

15. Perform a Comprehensive Site Audit (continued)
Use tools like Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, or SEMrush Site Audit to perform a full crawl of the new site. Look for:

  • Broken links (404 errors)

  • Missing or misconfigured redirects

  • Duplicate content

  • Incorrect canonical tags

  • Unindexed pages

  • Crawl budget issues

Fix these promptly to avoid traffic losses and indexing issues.

16. Retain the Old XML Sitemap Temporarily
One of the most overlooked best practices, recommended by SEOSLY, is keeping your old XML sitemap live for a few days or weeks post-migration. This helps Google and other search engines:

  • Continue crawling your legacy URLs

  • Discover the 301 redirects to the new URLs more easily

  • Index the new site faster

Example:
If your old sitemap was at oldsite.com/sitemap.xml, keep it accessible even after launching newsite.com. Submit it to Google Search Console temporarily before replacing it with the new sitemap.

17. Submit New Sitemap to Search Engines
Immediately submit the new XML sitemap to:

  • Google Search Console

  • Bing Webmaster Tools

This helps search engines start crawling and indexing the new structure faster.

18. Monitor Indexing Status & Search Console Alerts
After migration:

  • Track the number of indexed pages under “Coverage” in GSC.

  • Look for crawl errors, redirect issues, and drop in clicks.

  • Check the “Performance” tab for changes in impressions, clicks, and ranking positions.

19. Monitor Organic Traffic Closely (Daily/Weekly)
Use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and other analytics tools to monitor:

  • Traffic trends by landing page

  • Source/medium breakdown (to isolate organic traffic)

  • Conversion metrics before and after migration

Example:
If a previously high-performing page (oldsite.com/blog/how-to-migrate) isn’t receiving traffic post-migration, ensure it redirects properly and is indexed.

20. Update External Links & Business Listings
Reach out to high-authority websites or partners who link to your old URLs and ask them to update the links.

Also update:

  • Google Business Profile

  • Social media profile links

  • Email signatures

  • Marketing collateral (PDFs, brochures)

21. Keep Communication Open Across Departments
Your sales, customer support, and marketing teams should all be informed of:

  • Potential downtimes

  • New URLs or page locations

  • New CTAs or navigation changes

Advanced Considerations for Businesses

A. Use Canonical Tags Correctly

After the migration, ensure each page has the correct self-referencing canonical tag. This avoids duplicate content issues and helps search engines understand the primary version of each page.

B. Reassess Your Site’s Information Architecture

A migration is a good time to improve site structure and internal linking, which can boost SEO:

  • Group pages more logically.

  • Reduce click depth for high-value pages.

  • Add breadcrumbs if they weren’t present before.

C. Monitor Core Web Vitals & Page Speed

A new platform or theme may affect your page load speed. Use:

  • PageSpeed Insights

  • Lighthouse

  • Web Vitals Extension

Optimize where needed, especially for mobile.

D. Implement Structured Data

If you didn’t have schema markup before, this is a great opportunity to implement it (e.g., product, article, FAQ, local business schemas) to enhance your search result appearance.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  1. ❌ Skipping redirect mapping – leads to 404 errors and loss of link equity

  2. ❌ Forgetting to block staging in robots.txt – can result in duplicate content

  3. ❌ Not testing redirects on mobile – can create usability issues

  4. ❌ Changing too much at once – changing design, CMS, and structure in one go increases the risk

  5. ❌ Failing to retain analytics tracking – leads to gaps in data collection

Tools Checklist for a Smooth Migration

Tool Purpose
Screaming Frog Crawl old and new site, extract URLs, identify errors
SEMrush / Ahrefs Track keywords, backlinks, monitor rankings
Google Search Console Submit sitemaps, monitor indexing and crawl stats
GA4 Monitor traffic and performance post-migration
Redirect Mapper (e.g., HTTP Status or Redirect Path) Validate 301 redirects
Wayback Machine Reference old content or structure if needed

Timeline Example for a 30-Day Migration Plan

Week Tasks
Week 1 Plan migration, assemble team, conduct SEO audit
Week 2 Crawl URLs, map redirects, develop staging site
Week 3 Perform QA on staging, validate redirects, test sitemaps
Week 4 Launch new site, monitor traffic and indexing, submit new sitemap
Ongoing Monitor Search Console, fix errors, update external links

Conclusion: Migrate with Confidence

A successful website migration is not just a technical task—it’s a strategic move that requires coordination, precision, and ongoing monitoring. For businesses and enterprises, the stakes are high: one misstep can cost you years of SEO equity.

But with careful planning, proper tools, and the right team, you can not only protect your existing traffic—you can emerge stronger, faster, and better positioned for growth in search.

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The Ultimate Guide to SEO Competitor Analysis in 2025


Introduction

In today’s highly competitive digital landscape, understanding your SEO competitors is no longer optional—it’s essential. An SEO competitor analysis provides insights into your competitors’ keyword strategies, backlink profiles, content tactics, and overall site optimization, helping you identify gaps and opportunities for growth.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of conducting a thorough SEO competitor analysis, including real-world examples, advanced strategies, and actionable recommendations for businesses, marketers, and SEO professionals.

Why Conduct an SEO Competitor Analysis?

1. Understand Market Trends & Competitive Landscape

By analyzing top-ranking competitors, businesses can identify industry trends, successful SEO tactics, and emerging opportunities.

2. Discover Keyword Gaps & Opportunities

A competitor analysis reveals which keywords drive traffic to your competitors and uncovers untapped opportunities for your own website.

3. Enhance Content & Link-Building Strategy

Examining the content formats and backlink sources used by competitors can guide your content marketing and link-building efforts.

4. Improve Technical SEO Performance

By evaluating competitors’ page speed, mobile optimization, and structured data, you can enhance your website’s technical SEO and user experience.

Example:

An online fashion retailer conducted a competitor analysis and discovered that competitors ranked for 50+ high-traffic keywords they were missing. After optimizing their content strategy, they experienced a 30% increase in organic traffic within six months.

Step-by-Step SEO Competitor Analysis

Step 1: Identify Your SEO Competitors

Not all competitors are the same—your SEO competitors may differ from your business competitors.

How to Identify Your True Competitors:

  • Google Search: Enter your primary keywords and note the top-ranking domains.
  • SEO Tools: Use platforms like Semrush, Ahrefs, or Moz to discover organic competitors.
  • SERP Features: Identify which competitors dominate rich results (e.g., featured snippets, local packs).
  • Industry-Specific Searches: Look for competitors specific to your niche and geographic location.

Example:

A SaaS company found that while their direct business competitors were well-known brands, their SEO competitors were smaller niche blogs ranking for highly valuable keywords.

Step 2: Keyword Analysis

Understanding which keywords drive traffic to your competitors is critical.

How to Conduct Keyword Analysis:

  1. Extract Competitor Keywords: Use Semrush’s “Keyword Gap” tool or Ahrefs’ “Site Explorer” to find competitor rankings.
  2. Analyze Keyword Types: Identify high-ranking, long-tail, and missing keywords.
  3. Prioritize Keywords: Focus on high-volume, low-competition keywords your competitors rank for but you don’t.

Example:

An e-learning platform discovered competitors ranking for “best coding bootcamps,” a term with high commercial intent. By creating high-quality comparison content, they captured 20% of the market share within three months.

Step 3: Content Strategy Analysis

Understanding competitors’ content formats, engagement metrics, and publishing frequency can help shape your content strategy.

What to Analyze:

  • Content Formats: Do they use blogs, videos, infographics, or podcasts?
  • Content Depth & Quality: Is the content detailed, well-researched, and engaging?
  • Content Optimization: Are they using structured data, rich snippets, or optimized meta descriptions?

Example:

A health blog realized competitors had high-ranking 2,500-word articles with expert quotes and structured schema markup. By enhancing their content, they doubled their organic traffic in six months.

Step 4: Backlink Analysis

Backlinks remain a crucial ranking factor, and analyzing competitor link-building strategies can improve your own authority.

How to Conduct Backlink Analysis:

  1. Identify Competitor Backlinks: Use Ahrefs’ “Backlink Checker” or Semrush’s “Backlink Gap” tool.
  2. Analyze Link Sources: Focus on high-authority domains (DA 50+).
  3. Replicate High-Quality Links: Contact linking sites and offer better content or expert insights.

Example:

An e-commerce store found that competitors received backlinks from niche industry blogs. By networking with these blogs and offering guest contributions, they increased their referring domains by 40% in one year.

Step 5: Technical SEO Analysis

Analyzing the technical health of competitors’ websites can provide insights for your own site improvements.

Key Factors to Evaluate:

  • Site Speed: Use Google PageSpeed Insights to compare performance.
  • Mobile-Friendliness: Ensure competitors’ sites are responsive and mobile-optimized.
  • Core Web Vitals: Assess LCP, FID, and CLS scores.
  • Indexing & Crawlability: Use Google Search Console to identify errors.

Example:

A travel website improved its mobile performance after discovering competitors had faster-loading pages. The optimization led to a 20% boost in mobile traffic.

Comparison Table: SEO Competitor Analysis Criteria

Factor What to Analyze Recommended Tools
Keyword Strategy Top-performing, long-tail, and missing keywords Semrush, Ahrefs
Content Optimization Formats, depth, structure, and engagement BuzzSumo, SurferSEO
Backlink Profile Authority, diversity, and linking domains Ahrefs, Moz
Technical SEO Speed, mobile-friendliness, structured data Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix
SERP Features Featured snippets, local packs, rich results Google SERPs, Semrush

Conclusion

A data-driven SEO competitor analysis is essential for businesses aiming to improve their rankings, traffic, and conversions. By understanding what works for competitors and implementing strategic enhancements, you can stay ahead in 2025.

Key Takeaways:

  • Identify true SEO competitors beyond traditional business rivals.
  • Leverage competitor keyword research to discover ranking opportunities.
  • Analyze content strategy and backlink profiles to optimize your approach.
  • Enhance technical SEO to improve site performance and mobile usability.
  • Stay updated with SERP trends and emerging algorithm changes.

References

  1. Google Search Central (2025). “SEO Best Practices.”
  2. Ahrefs (2025). “Competitor Backlink Analysis Guide.”
  3. Semrush (2025). “The Importance of Keyword Gaps.”
  4. Moz (2025). “Understanding SERP Features.”
  5. Backlinko (2025). “Advanced SEO Competitor Analysis Techniques.”

By leveraging these actionable strategies, businesses can gain a significant SEO advantage and drive sustainable growth in 2025.

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The Ultimate Guide to Technical SEO in 2025

Introduction

In the modern digital landscape, technical SEO is the foundation of a well-optimized website. Without strong technical SEO, even the best content and backlinks won’t help a site rank effectively.

This guide dives deep into technical SEO best practices, strategies, and tools, covering everything from site structure and crawling to page speed, structured data, and international SEO. Each section includes real-world examples and recommendations to help businesses, marketers, and SEO professionals optimize their websites for search engines in 2025.

Why Technical SEO Matters

1. Improves Search Engine Visibility

Google and other search engines rely on bots to crawl and index content. If your website has poor technical SEO, your pages may not even be discovered.

2. Enhances User Experience (UX)

Technical SEO isn’t just about search engines—it directly impacts page speed, mobile usability, and site navigation, leading to better user engagement and lower bounce rates.

3. Helps Sites Stay Competitive

A well-optimized website gives businesses a competitive edge in search rankings, ensuring better visibility, credibility, and conversions.

Example:

An e-commerce site improved its internal linking and fixed crawl errors, leading to a 40% increase in organic traffic within three months.

Key Components of Technical SEO

1. Site Structure & Navigation

A well-organized site structure improves crawl efficiency and user experience.

Best Practices:

  • Use a flat, logical structure: Ensure all important pages are within 3 clicks from the homepage.
  • Implement breadcrumb navigation: Helps users and search engines understand the site hierarchy.
  • Consistent URL structures: Use logical, SEO-friendly URLs with relevant keywords.

Example: A news website implemented breadcrumb navigation and increased session duration by 25% as users found related content more easily.

2. Crawling, Rendering & Indexing

Search engines must crawl, render, and index a website efficiently.

Common Issues & Fixes:

  • Crawl Errors: Use Google Search Console to identify and fix blocked pages.
  • JavaScript Issues: Test rendering in Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
  • Orphan Pages: Ensure all important pages are linked within your site’s structure.

Example: A tech blog discovered that its JavaScript-based navigation prevented Google from indexing important articles. After restructuring, traffic increased by 30%.

3. XML Sitemaps & Robots.txt

  • XML Sitemap: Submit to Google Search Console to ensure proper indexing.
  • Robots.txt: Prevents search engines from crawling unnecessary pages.
  • Noindex Tags: Use for duplicate content or internal search result pages.

Example: A SaaS company removed thin-content pages from indexing, which improved overall rankings by focusing crawl budget on high-value pages.

Page Speed & Core Web Vitals

Google prioritizes fast, user-friendly websites. Slow load times lead to higher bounce rates and lower rankings.

How to Improve Page Speed:

  • Compress Images: Use WebP format to reduce file sizes without losing quality.
  • Minimize HTTP Requests: Reduce scripts, CSS, and unnecessary plugins.
  • Enable Lazy Loading: Load images and videos only when they enter the viewport.
  • Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): Distribute content across global servers for faster access.

Example:

A travel website reduced its average load time from 4.8s to 1.9s by optimizing images and minifying CSS. This resulted in a 12% increase in conversion rates.

Duplicate Content & Canonicalization

Duplicate content can confuse search engines and lead to ranking penalties.

Best Practices to Avoid Duplicate Content:

  • Use Canonical Tags: Prevents duplicate URLs from competing with each other.
  • 301 Redirects: Redirect outdated or duplicate pages.
  • Self-Referencing Canonicals: Ensures preferred versions of pages are indexed.
  • Noindex Low-Value Pages: Apply to filter pages, tag pages, and internal search results.

Example:

A marketplace website fixed canonicalization issues, reducing duplicate content and improving its search rankings across 100+ product pages.

Structured Data & Schema Markup

Schema markup helps search engines better understand content and enhances visibility with rich results.

Types of Schema Markup:

  • Article Schema (For blog posts, news sites)
  • Product Schema (For e-commerce pages)
  • FAQ Schema (For question-based content)
  • Review Schema (For ratings and customer feedback)

Example:

A recipe website implemented structured data, resulting in featured snippets and a 30% increase in click-through rates (CTR).

Mobile SEO & Responsive Design

Google’s mobile-first indexing means websites must be optimized for smartphones.

Best Practices for Mobile SEO:

  • Responsive Design: Ensure content scales properly across devices.
  • Optimize for Touch: Large buttons and easy-to-click elements improve usability.
  • Reduce Popups: Avoid intrusive interstitials that block content.

Example:

A local business saw a 50% increase in organic traffic after switching to a mobile-friendly design and improving its site speed.

International SEO & Hreflang Tags

For global businesses, international SEO ensures content appears in the correct language and region.

Key Strategies:

  • Use hreflang Tags: Tells search engines which language version to display.
  • Country-Specific Domains (.uk, .de): Improves local search visibility.
  • Content Localization: Translate and optimize content for cultural relevance.

Example:

An online retailer implemented hreflang tags and saw a 70% increase in international organic traffic.

Comparison Table: Good vs. Poor Technical SEO

Factor Good Technical SEO Poor Technical SEO
Site Structure Organized, flat architecture Confusing, deep links
Page Speed Loads in <2s Slow, 5s+ load time
Mobile-Friendliness Fully responsive Desktop-only design
Duplicate Content Canonical tags, redirects Multiple duplicate pages
Structured Data Implemented for key content No schema markup
XML Sitemap Submitted & updated Missing or incorrect sitemap
Security HTTPS with secure protocols HTTP, insecure elements

Conclusion

Technical SEO is essential for long-term search success. By optimizing site architecture, crawlability, speed, structured data, and mobile usability, businesses can improve their rankings, traffic, and conversions.

References

  1. Google Search Central (2025). “Technical SEO Best Practices.”
  2. Moz (2025). “Core Web Vitals and Search Rankings.”
  3. Ahrefs (2025). “Site Architecture and Indexing Guide.”
  4. SEMrush (2025). “SEO Trends and Insights.”
  5. Backlinko (2025). “The Power of Structured Data in SEO.”
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The Ultimate Ecommerce SEO Guide for 2025: Proven Strategies for Higher Rankings and Sales

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Introduction

Ecommerce SEO is more than just a buzzword; it’s a critical factor in the success of online businesses. As the competition in online retail intensifies, optimizing your store for search engines can mean the difference between consistent sales and struggling for visibility.

Unlike paid ads, which require ongoing investment, SEO provides sustainable, long-term growth by attracting organic traffic. In this guide, we’ll explore the most effective ecommerce SEO strategies for 2025, providing detailed examples, practical tips, and expert recommendations to help your online store rank higher and increase sales.

Why Ecommerce SEO Matters More Than Ever

1. The Power of Organic Traffic

Paid ads can drive traffic quickly, but organic traffic from search engines is free, sustainable, and more likely to convert. According to studies, 53% of all website traffic comes from organic search.

Example:

A small handmade jewelry store selling custom-designed bracelets and necklaces struggled to gain traction. They invested in SEO by optimizing their product pages with keyword-rich titles such as “Handmade Sterling Silver Bracelets for Women” and “Custom Gold-Plated Initial Necklaces”. Within six months, organic traffic increased by 120%, and their revenue doubled as they ranked higher for transactional keywords.

2. Competitive Advantage

Big players like Amazon and Walmart dominate ecommerce, but SEO helps smaller businesses carve out their niche.

Example:

A niche eco-friendly pet food brand discovered that major competitors were focusing on broad keywords like “dog food.” Instead, they optimized their product listings and blog content around long-tail, high-intent search queries like “best organic dog food for allergies” and “grain-free food for senior cats.” This targeted approach helped them outrank bigger brands and increase sales by 85% in a year.

Core Ecommerce SEO Strategies

1. Keyword Research for Ecommerce SEO

Keyword research is the foundation of your SEO strategy. But unlike general websites, ecommerce stores must focus on transactional and commercial intent keywords.

How to Find High-Converting Keywords

  • Use Amazon Suggest: Amazon’s search bar suggests keywords based on real searches, making it a goldmine for product-related terms.
  • Google Autocomplete & “People Also Ask”: These provide insights into commonly searched queries.
  • Competitor Research: Analyze competitors’ keyword strategies using tools like Ahrefs and Semrush.
  • Customer Feedback & Reviews: Identify words and phrases customers use to describe your products.

Example:

A custom furniture brand noticed that customers frequently asked, “What type of wood is best for dining tables?” They optimized product pages with keywords like “handcrafted oak dining tables” and “best solid wood tables for modern homes.” This resulted in a 70% increase in product page rankings and a 30% boost in sales.

2. Optimizing Ecommerce Site Architecture

A well-structured site improves user experience and search engine crawlability.

Best Practices for Ecommerce Site Architecture

  • Keep URLs short and descriptive (e.g., /women/shoes/running instead of /category23/subcategory12)
  • Ensure category pages are well-organized
  • Use breadcrumb navigation for better internal linking
  • Minimize clicks to important pages (every product page should be reachable within 3 clicks from the homepage)

Example:

A fashion retailer previously had a complicated navigation structure, making it difficult for users and search engines to find specific products. By streamlining their category pages and adding breadcrumb navigation, they improved site usability. As a result, their average session duration increased by 45%, and their bounce rate dropped significantly.

3. On-Page SEO for Product & Category Pages

Essential On-Page SEO Elements:

  1. Title Tags: Use compelling, keyword-rich titles (“Buy Handmade Ceramic Coffee Mugs – Free Shipping”).
  2. Meta Descriptions: Include power words like “exclusive,” “discount,” “best price,” and clear CTAs.
  3. Product Descriptions: Write unique, detailed content (minimum 500 words) describing features, benefits, and use cases.
  4. Image Optimization: Use descriptive alt text and compress images for faster loading.
  5. User Reviews: Google favors user-generated content, so enable rich snippet reviews.

Example:

A home decor store rewrote all its product descriptions to focus on storytelling, rather than just listing features. For example, instead of “This candle is made of soy wax and lasts 40 hours”, they wrote: “Immerse yourself in a relaxing ambiance with our hand-poured soy wax candle, crafted for 40 hours of uninterrupted tranquility.” This change increased product engagement by 30% and boosted sales conversions.

4. Technical SEO: Speed, Mobile, and Security

Example:

A fitness equipment store experienced high cart abandonment rates due to slow page speeds. By compressing images, using a CDN, and implementing lazy loading, they reduced load time from 5.2s to 1.8s, improving conversion rates by 25% and increasing organic traffic by 35%.

5. Link Building for Ecommerce

Example:

A luxury watch retailer pitched a detailed guest post about “The History of Luxury Timepieces” to high-authority lifestyle blogs. This resulted in 10 high-authority backlinks, leading to a 35% increase in rankings for luxury watch-related terms.

6. Content Marketing for Ecommerce SEO

Example:

A gourmet coffee shop created a series of blog posts including “The Ultimate Guide to Coffee Brewing Methods” and “Best Coffee Beans for Espresso Lovers.” By answering common customer questions and optimizing for long-tail keywords, they increased organic traffic by 230% in a year and grew their email list significantly.

Comparison Table: Key Ecommerce SEO Strategies

Strategy Importance Key Benefits
Keyword Research High Targets high-converting searches
Site Architecture High Improves navigation & SEO rankings
On-Page SEO High Boosts product visibility and CTR
Technical SEO Critical Enhances page speed and UX
Link Building High Increases authority & trust
Content Marketing Medium Drives traffic and engagement

Conclusion

Ecommerce SEO isn’t just about ranking higher—it’s about building a long-term, sustainable business. By implementing the right strategies, from keyword research and technical optimization to content marketing and link building, online stores can drive consistent traffic and higher sales.

Next Steps:

  1. Audit your website and fix technical issues.
  2. Optimize product pages for high-converting keywords.
  3. Start a content marketing strategy to drive organic traffic.
  4. Implement structured data for better visibility in search.
  5. Monitor performance with Google Analytics & Search Console.

Investing in ecommerce SEO today means long-term success in the digital marketplace. Start optimizing now!

References

  1. Google Search Central. “SEO Guidelines for Ecommerce” (2025)
  2. Semrush. “Keyword Research Strategies for 2025”
  3. Backlinko. “Link Building Case Studies for Ecommerce”
  4. Ahrefs. “Content Marketing for Ecommerce”
  5. HubSpot. “Technical SEO Best Practices”
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The Ultimate Guide to the Best Free SEO Tools in 2025

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In the ever-evolving world of search engine optimization (SEO), staying ahead requires leveraging the right tools. While many premium SEO tools offer extensive capabilities, free SEO tools can provide immense value for businesses, startups, and marketers looking to improve their search rankings without breaking the bank.

This guide explores the best free SEO tools of 2025, categorized by their functionality, with detailed examples, recommendations, and best-use cases to help businesses optimize their SEO strategies.

Why Use Free SEO Tools?

Many businesses assume that high-quality SEO tools come at a high cost. However, free tools can deliver powerful insights and help users improve their website’s rankings, traffic, and overall online presence.

Benefits of Free SEO Tools:

  • Cost-Effective – No investment needed, making them accessible to all.
  • Beginner-Friendly – Ideal for those just starting with SEO.
  • Quick Insights – Provides actionable data to improve rankings.
  • Scalability – Some free tools offer premium upgrades as businesses grow.
  • No Commitment – Allows testing different tools before committing to a paid option.

Example:

A small e-commerce business can use Google Search Console and Ubersuggest to analyze website performance, keyword rankings, and backlinks without spending a dime on SEO software.

Keyword Research Tools

1. Google Keyword Planner (Best for PPC and SEO Research)

Google Keyword Planner is a staple tool for finding keyword ideas and search volume trends. Although primarily designed for Google Ads, it provides valuable SEO insights.

Features:

  • Search volume data for specific keywords.
  • Competition analysis.
  • Keyword trend tracking.
  • Discovering long-tail keyword variations.

Example Use Case: A travel blog looking to optimize for seasonal keywords can use Google Keyword Planner to identify trending search queries related to “summer vacations in Europe.”

Recommendation: Pair this tool with Google Trends for a complete keyword research strategy.

2. Ubersuggest (Best for Keyword and Content Ideas)

Created by Neil Patel, Ubersuggest offers keyword suggestions, competition analysis, and SERP data.

Features:

  • Keyword ideas with search volume and CPC.
  • Domain analysis of competitors.
  • Backlink data and ranking difficulty.

Example Use Case: A SaaS company can use Ubersuggest to research competitors’ keywords and optimize content around high-ranking topics.

Recommendation: Use the content ideas feature to find blog topics that align with search intent.

On-Page SEO Tools

3. Yoast SEO (Best for WordPress Optimization)

Yoast SEO is a must-have plugin for WordPress users. It optimizes on-page SEO by providing readability analysis, meta tag recommendations, and schema markup guidance.

Features:

  • SEO scoring and recommendations.
  • XML sitemap generation.
  • Keyword optimization.

Example Use Case: A real estate agency can use Yoast SEO to optimize property listing pages for better local search rankings.

Recommendation: Combine with Rank Math for additional schema support.

4. Screaming Frog SEO Spider (Best for Technical SEO Audits)

Screaming Frog’s free version allows businesses to crawl up to 500 URLs to detect SEO issues like broken links, duplicate content, and missing meta tags.

Features:

  • Finds broken links.
  • Analyzes metadata.
  • Identifies duplicate content.

Example Use Case: An online magazine with hundreds of articles can use Screaming Frog to detect indexing issues and improve site structure.

Recommendation: For deeper insights, pair it with Google Search Console.

Technical SEO Tools

5. Google Search Console (Best for Website Performance Tracking)

A must-have tool for all websites, Google Search Console offers detailed insights into how Google perceives a site.

Features:

  • Tracks search performance and click-through rates.
  • Reports crawling errors and mobile usability issues.
  • Shows backlinks and internal linking insights.

Example Use Case: A digital marketing agency uses Google Search Console to analyze organic search performance and fix indexing problems.

Recommendation: Combine with Bing Webmaster Tools for broader search engine visibility.

6. GTmetrix (Best for Page Speed Optimization)

GTmetrix analyzes page speed performance and provides actionable recommendations for faster load times.

Features:

  • Page speed score.
  • Core Web Vitals analysis.
  • Detailed waterfall reports on resource loading.

Example Use Case: An e-commerce store with high bounce rates can use GTmetrix to optimize images and improve load times.

Recommendation: Use in conjunction with Google PageSpeed Insights for complete performance analysis.

Backlink and Competitive Analysis Tools

7. Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker (Best for Link Analysis)

Ahrefs offers a limited but powerful free version of their backlink tool, showing top backlinks and referring domains.

Features:

  • Displays top 100 backlinks for any domain.
  • Shows domain rating and referring domains.
  • Helps identify competitors’ link-building strategies.

Example Use Case: A SaaS startup can use Ahrefs’ free backlink tool to analyze competitors’ backlinks and target similar sites for outreach.

Recommendation: Use alongside Moz Link Explorer for a broader analysis.

SEO Reporting and Analytics Tools

8. Google Analytics (Best for Traffic and User Behavior Analysis)

Google Analytics remains the gold standard for website analytics, offering real-time data and conversion tracking.

Features:

  • Tracks user behavior and website traffic sources.
  • Identifies top-performing pages.
  • Provides insights into user demographics and engagement.

Example Use Case: An online course platform can use Google Analytics to measure user engagement and optimize content marketing strategies.

Recommendation: Combine with Google Tag Manager for deeper event tracking.

Comparison Table: Free SEO Tools at a Glance

Tool Best For Key Features
Google Keyword Planner Keyword Research Search volume, competition, CPC data
Ubersuggest Content & Keyword Ideas Competitor analysis, keyword trends
Yoast SEO On-Page SEO SEO scoring, readability analysis
Screaming Frog Technical SEO Crawls 500 URLs for errors
Google Search Console Site Performance Search insights, indexing reports
GTmetrix Page Speed Optimization Core Web Vitals, performance reports
Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker Backlink Analysis Top backlinks, referring domains
Google Analytics SEO Reporting Traffic analysis, conversion tracking

Conclusion

With so many free SEO tools available in 2025, businesses of all sizes can access powerful insights without expensive software. By strategically using tools for keyword research, on-page optimization, technical SEO, backlink tracking, and performance monitoring, companies can maximize their online presence and boost search rankings.

References

  1. Google Search Central (2025). “SEO Best Practices.”
  2. Moz (2025). “The Ultimate SEO Guide.”
  3. Ahrefs (2025). “Link Building Strategies.”
  4. HubSpot (2025). “Keyword Research for 2025.”
  5. Backlinko (2025). “The Power of Free SEO Tools.”
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The Ultimate Guide to High-Quality Backlinks for 2025

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Introduction

Backlinks remain one of the most important ranking factors in SEO. However, in 2025, the focus is not just on quantity but on earning high-quality, authoritative backlinks that drive traffic, boost credibility, and improve search rankings. In this guide, we’ll explore proven strategies that businesses can use to build a robust backlink profile while staying ahead of evolving SEO trends.

Why High-Quality Backlinks Matter

Before diving into the strategies, it’s essential to understand why backlinks are so powerful.

  • Authority & Trust: Search engines consider backlinks as votes of confidence. The more authoritative the linking site, the more credibility your site gains.
  • Higher Search Rankings: Websites with strong backlink profiles tend to rank higher on Google and other search engines.
  • Referral Traffic: A backlink from a reputable site can drive consistent traffic to your website.
  • Brand Exposure: Earning mentions from high-traffic websites increases brand recognition and trust.

Example:

If a tech startup earns backlinks from authoritative sources like TechCrunch or Forbes, it signals credibility and improves its rankings in search engines.

Proven Strategies to Earn High-Quality Backlinks

1. Become a Source for Reporters and Bloggers

Journalists and bloggers constantly seek expert opinions. Services like Help a B2B Writer and Featured.com connect businesses with content creators who need credible sources.

How to Do It:

  1. Sign up on platforms like Help a B2B Writer or Featured.com.
  2. Monitor requests and respond with valuable insights.
  3. Keep responses short, relevant, and actionable.
  4. Build long-term relationships with journalists for ongoing backlinks.

Example: A marketing consultant answers a journalist’s question about SEO trends. The journalist then links back to the consultant’s website in their Forbes article.

2. Publish ‘Skyscraper’ Content

The Skyscraper Technique involves finding high-ranking content and creating a superior version that attracts backlinks.

Steps:

  1. Research top-performing articles in your niche using Google or SEO tools.
  2. Create a more detailed, updated, and engaging version.
  3. Promote your content to people who linked to similar content.

Example: If an existing article lists “50 SEO tools,” you can publish “The 100 Best SEO Tools in 2025” with in-depth insights.

3. Build Links from Outdated Resources

Websites frequently change names, shut down, or move pages. Finding and replacing broken links with your own is a powerful way to earn backlinks.

How to Do It:

  1. Identify outdated resources in your industry using SEO tools like Ahrefs or Semrush.
  2. Find websites still linking to these outdated pages.
  3. Reach out to site owners with a polite request to replace the outdated link with your relevant content.

Example: If a popular digital marketing guide is no longer accessible, you can create an updated version and ask webmasters to link to yours instead.

4. Leverage Proven Content Formats

Some types of content naturally earn more backlinks than others.

Formats That Get Links:

  • Data-Driven Studies – Conduct and publish unique industry research.
  • Ultimate Guides – Comprehensive resources covering a topic in-depth.
  • Infographics – Visually appealing content that simplifies complex information.
  • Videos – Engaging and shareable content with actionable insights.

Example: A SaaS company conducts a study on “The Future of AI in Marketing” and earns backlinks from various industry blogs and news sites.

5. Publish Ultimate Guides

Long-form, highly informative guides often become the go-to resource in an industry.

Steps to Create an Ultimate Guide:

  1. Choose a topic that hasn’t been covered comprehensively.
  2. Structure your content with clear headings and subheadings.
  3. Incorporate data, case studies, and actionable steps.
  4. Promote your guide to industry influencers and bloggers.

Example: A fitness brand publishes “The Ultimate Guide to Strength Training,” covering workouts, nutrition, and recovery strategies, earning backlinks from fitness blogs and forums.

6. Create Branded Strategies and Techniques

Unique and branded SEO techniques attract attention and backlinks.

How to Do It:

  1. Develop a new approach to solving a common problem.
  2. Give it a memorable name.
  3. Publish a case study showing real-world results.
  4. Promote it through blogs, social media, and outreach.

Example: An entrepreneur coins the term “The Smart Scaling Formula” for a unique business growth strategy. Other marketers mention and link to it in their content.

7. Earn Backlinks from Authority Resource Pages

Many websites maintain resource pages listing valuable industry links.

Steps:

  1. Search for resource pages in your niche (e.g., “Best Marketing Blogs to Follow”).
  2. Reach out with a polite request to be added.
  3. Offer high-value content that aligns with the page’s purpose.

Example: A cybersecurity company gets listed on a “Top Cybersecurity Resources” page maintained by a popular tech blog.

Comparison Table: High vs. Low-Quality Backlinks

Criteria High-Quality Backlinks Low-Quality Backlinks
Authority Links from reputable sites (e.g., Forbes, HubSpot) Links from unknown, low-authority sites
Relevance From sites within your niche Unrelated to your industry
Traffic Potential Drives targeted visitors to your site Brings little or no traffic
Link Placement Natural editorial links Paid or spammy links
Google Impact Improves rankings and credibility May lead to penalties

Conclusion

In 2025, businesses must focus on quality over quantity when building backlinks. By leveraging journalist connections, creating top-tier content, and using innovative outreach strategies, companies can boost their search rankings, increase traffic, and build lasting credibility.

References

  1. Backlinko (2025). “How to Get High-Quality Backlinks.”
  2. Moz (2025). “Link Building Strategies That Work.”
  3. Ahrefs (2025). “SEO Best Practices for 2025.”
  4. HubSpot (2025). “Content Marketing and Backlinks Guide.”
  5. Google Search Central (2025). “Understanding Link Quality for SEO.”

 

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The Top 5 Best E-commerce Platforms for SMBs

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If you are looking for the best eCommerce platforms for your small-medium business, look no further than this article. Read the details here!

5 Best E-commerce Platforms for SMBs

eCommerce offers a wide range of opportunities and benefits, including reaching your target audience, increasing sales of products or services, expanding your operations, boosting your clientele, and improving your business’s bottom line.

A single online store allows you to reach your target audience and customers without worrying about moving locations. According to Tarek Riman, you can manage your eCommerce business from home.

In addition, eCommerce is an excellent business option for B2B and B2C companies, allowing them to improve their brand awareness in the market. Your eCommerce website is a powerful marketing tool because you can reach customers via social media, search engines, email, and pay-per-click ads.

At the same time, you need a sophisticated eCommerce platform that offers valuable SEO tools. Tarek Riman, a professional and experienced digital marketer, says social media networks provide you with a platform to build trust and engage customers through ratings and reviews.

However, choosing a robust eCommerce platform with numerous features is vital to promote your products and services. Today’s article will list the top five eCommerce platforms for small-medium businesses or enterprises. But before that, we will discuss some critical statistical information about eCommerce. Read on!

eCommerce Facts and Figures

According to Statista, eCommerce sales will reach a whopping $7.4 trillion by 2025. Compared to eCommerce sales of $4.9 trillion worldwide, it will grow by 50% in the next three years. So, Tarek Riman argues that there are no signs of internet platforms or online shopping slowing down even after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Research highlights a consumer makes an average of 19 transactions per year via the internet. However, Riman says this varies based on location. For instance, Oberlo highlights that a consumer in China makes an average of 22 online transactions. The same study highlights that 53% of consumers prefer online shopping due to free shipping.

Similarly, 41% of people buy products or services with coupons and discounts. 35% of people read reviews from other customers before purchasing a product. 33% of consumers focus on easy return policies, 30% prefer a quick online checkout process, and 28% emphasize next-day delivery.

Another research report shows that 38.4% of online consumers in the United States are under 35. People born between 1981 and 1996 account for the largest group of online consumers. On the other hand, only 14.4% of people in the U.S are above 60 years of age.

Statista, the most reputable consumer index website, estimates that 2.14 billion people use eCommerce platforms/websites to buy products and services. In contrast, about 1.66 billion people purchased products online.

According to Tarek Riman, these statistical data from credible sources show that eCommerce businesses grow efficiently and quickly. Color Whistle reports that WooCommerce hosts three million live business websites, each with powerful plugins to streamline business operations.

Acquire Convert shows that 1.75 million people use Shopify to set up online businesses and promote their products or services. Similarly, over 600,000 active online stores operate on WIX, and over 250,000 merchants use Magento.

Moreover, data shows that smartphone users account for 45% of all eCommerce sales in the U.S. So, Tarek Riman recommends optimizing your website for mobile users to increase sales and improve your business’s bottom line. Here are the top five eCommerce platforms for small-medium companies.

1.    Shopify

Shopify is one of the best eCommerce platforms for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and corporations. It offers a comprehensive website builder with free features and tools, allowing small business owners to sell online and in person.

At the same time, Shopify is an excellent platform for selling products through social commerce, drop shipping, and third-party marketplaces. The website builder enables you to design your eCommerce store using free or paid themes.

There is no need to learn and practice programming skills. The reason is that Shopify is all about the “drag and drop” feature. In addition, it can manage various business areas, not just eCommerce.

Tarek Riman, a professional entrepreneur, recommends Shopify due to its best-in-class suite of tools to establish a sophisticated business command center. For example, you can leverage “Shop Pay” for affordable transaction fees.

Shopify offers POS systems for in-person sales and “Shopify Fulfilment” for shipping products. The platform has a solid partnership with reputable companies like Express, DHL, UPS, USPS, and other shipping carriers.

Similarly, it provides eCommerce owners unlimited bandwidth and storage without affecting the overall prices. The purpose is to ensure your website drives more traffic, engage potential customers, and turns them into high-paying clients.

Shopify has a free marketing service, search engine optimization (SEO) tools, and abandoned cart recovery systems. It offers a mobile application allowing you to manage your online business from your smartphone.

Thus, you can use your smartphone to fulfill orders, add products, analyze real-time data, increase sales, and track inventory updates. The basic price of Shopify is $29.99 per month, but the advanced package is $299 per month.

You can take advantage of a three-day free trial. Shopify has numerous customer support options, including callback, email, community forum, and supportive content in nineteen languages. It also features integrated sales channels, including Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Google, Facebook, and Instagram.

2.    Wix

Wix is the second-best eCommerce platform, featuring a user-friendly site builder with numerous eCommerce-specific tools. Tarek Riman recommends opting for the paid plan to leverage advanced eCommerce capabilities, such as:

  • Order tracking
  • Online payments
  • Abandoned cart campaigns
  • Multichannel selling

A paid plan also enables you to access real-time data and analytics. So you can track your eCommerce KPIs. WIX offers over 500 templates to choose from to design your storefront.

It has an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface, allowing you to customize the appearance and aesthetics of your online store. In addition, it also supports subscription-based billing through third parties. WIX also supports dropshipping from other online channels.

The basic price is $23 per month. However, when you choose the business unlimited package, expect to pay $27 per month. The business VIP is $49 per month. Although you can start with the “business unlimited,” we suggest using the “business VIP” package to leverage cutting-edge tools.

The biggest problem with WIX is that it does not offer free trials. It supports integrated sales channels, including Instagram and Facebook. WIX has a mobile app with various features and tools, including inventory management.

3.    Squarespace

Squarespace is one of the best eCommerce platforms that enables you to build an eCommerce website for your small business. It offers an easy-to-use interface and does not require the technical experience. So, you can use the templates, drag-and-drop tools, and design features to set up your online store.

While Squarespace is a website builder, it provides numerous eCommerce features to streamline operations for online sellers and small businesses. In addition, Squarespace is best for service-based businesses, but you can also set up a produce-based eCommerce store. Some of the best features are:

  • Email marketing
  • Calendar integrations
  • Scheduling
  • Social media integrations
  • Embeddable maps
  • Design tools
  • SEO tools

It offers various packages, including “Personal for $16 per month, “Business for $26 per month,” “Commerce for $30 per month,” and “Advanced Commerce for $46 per month.”

The best thing about Squarespace is that it offers a 14-day free trial. So, you can take your time to try the platform and test the design/SEO features. The purpose is to determine whether Squarespace is reliable for your small business.

Customer support options are live chat, available Monday to Friday between 4 AM and 8 PM, and 24/7 email support. Moreover, integrated sales channels, including eBay, Etsy, Google Actions, Amazon, etc. Squarespace also has an excellent smartphone application with reliable features, such as:

  • Website design
  • Website Editing
  • Order management
  • Label scanning
  • Inventory management
  • Live chat

4.    WooCommerce

WooCommerce is the best WordPress platform for setting up a sophisticated online store and selling products or services. What makes WooCommerce unique from others is that it is a full-fledged website builder with reliable tools and systems to make sales.

WooCommerce is an open-source platform, meaning you can customize the site based on your needs. Likewise, you don’t need any designing or coding skills to set up an eCommerce store.

Like Shopify, WooCommerce offers more than 6,000 third-party integrations, allowing you to expand your store’s functionality and flexibility. It is a free business platform, but you will pay to leverage advanced features when you add plugins and integrations or access premium tools.

The average monthly price for hosting is $30 or $120 per year. You can register a domain for $15 per year and select a theme for $100 per year. You will pay $108 for shipping and $348 for communication and marketing. SSL certificate requires you to pay $65 per year, and SEO will cost $79 per year.

WooCommerce offers a free trial with a 30-day money-back guarantee; email and live chat are customer support options. Integrated sales channels include Etsy, Google Shopping, Facebook, Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Pinterest, etc. You can also use mobile applications to add products, manage orders, analyze payments, and view analytics.

5.    BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a perfect platform, offering a wide range of eCommerce features. Although BigCommerce is slightly overwhelming for small-medium businesses, it offers several plans to access technical resources, making it a reliable choice for companies looking to promote and sell their products quickly and efficiently.

It offers valuable solutions with customization features to small businesses and large corporations. Small-medium enterprises can access technical resources based on their budget to build and customize an online store. Some of the best features include:

  • International commerce
  • Multichannel selling
  • Marketing and SEO
  • Integration with third-party marketplaces
  • Numerous payment options
  • Free payment processing rates

It offers various packages, including “Standard for $29.95 per month,” “Plus for $79.95 per month,” and “Pro for $299.95 per month.” BigCommerce offers a 15-day free trial length with 24/7 technical support via email, phone, and chat.

Integrated sales channels include Facebook, Instagram, Google Shopping, Etsy, Walmart, eBay, and Amazon. BigCommerce also has an excellent and easy-to-use smartphone application with sophisticated features like:

  • Analytics
  • Order updates
  • Inventory management
  • Product management
  • Customer search
  • Market research

Final Words

While you can choose any eCommerce platform to improve your small business and boost your company’s operations, we recommend hiring a professional service provider like “Riman Agency” to streamline the entire process and make the most of your online store.

Riman Agency has a team of qualified professionals with years of experience to use cutting-edge tools and create an eCommerce store for your small business with flexibility for customers, product promotion and marketing, affordable advertising and PPC campaigns, tools for faster response to market demands, product listing, pricing mechanisms, and much more. Contact us today for more information on our services.

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10 rules to having a successful website

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What makes a quality website? What brings quality results?

Whenever I start working with a client, I can almost guarantee that the biggest hurdle standing between them and the results they want, is the quality of their website.

The conversation usually starts by “Tarek, we did SEO and it didn’t work, We did SEM and it didn’t work, we did social media and that didn’t work, can you help?”

My answer is almost always, I need to have a bigger picture, I need to understand what you have done, audit your campaigns, your site, user behaviour, speed, performance. After I do so 90% of the time I come back with an action plan, and almost always on the top of the list is the website.

I start the conversation, by saying that we can’t fix an issue by throwing money on it, we need to address it heads on, and this is what I usually do.

As a web developer and a marketer myself, I am able to link the marketing with development aspects of websites, which tends to be very helpful for the client, in phases of redesign, development, etc…

After running into this situation with multiple clients, I realized that it is best to put together 10 points that clients should remember when building a site, migrating a site, or redesigning one.

  1. Speed and performance matter, they matter not only from a user experience standpoint but also from an SEO standpoint.
  2. User flow is extremely important, a website should be easy to navigate and easy to flow through. Make sure that you are interlinking properly on the site, make sure that all the pages that you want your visitors to see are one click away.
  3. Content is very important, avoid having weak and thin content pages. You are here to make an impression and show value and the best way you can do so is by providing an abundant amount of content. Fact: the number of words on the highest-ranking pages on Google is 2000+.
  4. Websites are like cars, and are like our bodies, if we don’t constantly maintain them they will get broken, and eventually out of service. Always maintain your site. I tend to update and fix my client’s websites on a biweekly basis.
  5. Constantly update the content, having fresh content is valuable for users and search engines. The fresher your content the higher your chance of ranking and converting.
  6. Time on site is very important, when you are building your site always ask yourself if you would read the page you are creating, ask yourself if you would stay on the site for more than 2 minutes if you saw it for the first time.
  7. Value, always think value. If you are not answering a client’s question or bringing them value, then why would they trust you. I insist on embedding Q&As and FAQs on almost every page of my client’s site, which allows them to should up on top of search results.
  8. Get a good server, all my client’s sites are on dedicated servers. The advantages are massive, from speed to security to performance and peace of mind.
  9. Security matters more than ever, always watch your site’s security and performance, always update your site. This is important now more than ever. I tend to run security updates every week for all the sites I manage.
  10. Think holistic, never think that social media alone works or SEO alone works. Marketing is holistic, make sure that you are doing your best and driving traffic from all fronts.

I hope this list will help you in updating our site and improving its performance on all fronts.

If you have questions or are interested in learning more, let’s have a chat. t@rimanagency.com

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Best SEO books for 2021

Top Search Engine Optimization Books for 2021

The internet is such a competitive space, and it continuously keeps on growing and changing at an unprecedented rate. One of the best ways to remain competitive and relevant online is to have your site or web property optimized so that they can show up on the front page of Google for potential visitors to engage with.

A mistake that so many big companies, small businesses and individuals make is not putting importance on their SEO efforts. SEO or Search Engine Optimization is crucial to a site’s performance, ultimately a significant deciding factor in any website’s success.

Without further ado, let’s leave it to the industry experts to lead you on the right path to the power and importance of SEO. Our ten recommendations were selected to help any individual get your website to the front page of Google using all the latest tools and tricks to help you on your journey.

1. The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization by Eric Enge, Stephan Spencer and Jessie Stricchiola

Dubbed as the SEO Bible, The Art of SEO provides a complete roadmap for you to plan and execute your SEO strategy. Led by three SEO pros, the book includes the latest updates on SEO tools, tactics and different ranking methods that have been implemented in the SEO landscape. If you’re new to SEO, this book provides an A to Z experience, while experts will be able to use the book if they need references for their day-to-day operations.

Check it out here!

2. SEO for Growth by John Jantsch and Phil Singleton

SEO for growth takes you on a journey explaining the overview of SEO and how different aspects such as algorithms and design changes impact your SEO. The book’s goal is to help you think the way Google does in order to put you in the most optimal mindset for you to really understand how it operates so that you can optimize your SEO strategies.

The book also  teaches you the best strategies and techniques you can use at every stage of the business providing you with an excellent link between your customers and your business to best serve everyone involved. As the name would suggest, the book wants to use SEO for growth, whether it is trying to gain new clients or even how to retain them once they are past the purchase phase.

The book truly excels in providing great value if you are a small business looking to transition to the digital age or a digital marketer looking how to provide expert advice to your online clients.

Check it out here!

3. The SEO Way: Beginners Guide to Search Engine Optimization by Tarek Riman

Tarek Riman designed The SEO way to help better equip start-ups, students, companies, beinggers, marketers and entrepreneurs to get a better grasp as to how to use SEO to help grow their businesses and bring irreplaceable value to any of their customers in the future.

The SEO Way provides a collection of the latest strategies, tactics and best practices that are being used by some of the biggest and best companies out there in an ingestible way that anybody can apply to their own business.

The book stresses the importance of making a meaningful impact on every part of your website because if you dont you will get left behind, not only from an SEO point of view but also by your customers.

Which is why the book is there to make sure you don’t fall short. It provides users with the industry standard tools and know-how to be successful and impactful. Ranging from technical details to the overall approach, you will learn how to get the nuts and bolts of your web properties in top shape, and how to create marketing and business strategies that continually grow your SEO strength for long term results.

Check it out here!

4. SEO For Dummies by Peter Kent

The For Dummies series is always a low effort, impactful introduction to various topics, and this SEO edition is no exception. Like many of its predecessors, the book aims to teach you the extreme basics in a friendly and easily understandable way.

SEO for Dummies is designed with website owners, developers and digital marketers in mind. It provides the ability to create websites that rank at the top of search engines, providing a high volume of traffic.

It provides value to its readers by teaching them how to fully use SEO to its fullest all the while being with you every step of the way in how to not only effectively use your SEO but other steps that sometimes get missed by other books such as registering your site to directories and indexes for example.

The book is an excellent introduction to SEO and is there for people with no previous knowledge, and provides you with a strong foundation for you to move further in your SEO expeditions.

Check it out here!

 

5. How To Get To The Top Of Google in 2021 by Tim Cameron Kitchen

If you’re looking to make an impact online, this is the book for you. Tim has updated his book to provide his readers with the latest tools, tips and tricks to get to the front page of Google. He promotes his book as a no-nonsense guide to SEO for newcomers and seasoned professionals alike. He aims to provide straightforward and to-the-point advice using various techniques and strategies to maximize your efforts.

The book is divided into 4 sections: The Foundations, Your Website, Promoting Your Website and Designing your SEO Strategy. Each chapter clearly outlines what you will be learning and delivers the info clearly and concisely, making it an approachable entry for anyone who doesn’t want to be bogged down by additional fluff and get into the meat of things.

Check it out here!

6. SEO Fitness Workbook: Search Engine Optimization Success in Seven Steps by Jason McDonald

Jason McDonald is an SEO expert who teaches at Stanford, repurposing his digital marketing course content into an easy-to-understand workbook. Updated for 2021, the goal of his book is to teach you SEO Step by Step while you use the worksheets he provides to guide you through any ambiguity in the SEO world.

Learn the basics of optimizing your website, learning how to link build, effectively use Google Analytics, and various other tools at your disposal.

Check it out here!

7. SEO 2021: Learn Search Engine Optimization with Smart Internet Marketing Strategies by Adam Clarke

A very informative book written in plain English so even the uninformed can quickly grasp the information reported. This book will help you learn SEO whether you are a beginner or are a pro in the field.

The book teaches you to optimize your SEO based on how some of the most prominent websites do. Want to know how to be like a pro? Learn to be like one! Designed in a step-by-step way, the book focuses on getting your site to the top of Google and how to get customers to click your site.

The book also provides tons of resources and unique tricks to keep note of and use whenever you need to. It helps you become more confident in your SEO efforts, especially as you read further into the book. It leads to many ‘A Ha’ moments that you will find yourself learning at every turn of the page.

Check it out here!

8. The SEO Blueprint: How to Get More Organic Traffic Right Now  by David Krevitt and Ryan Stewart

The SEO Blueprint is an efficient and hands-on book that delivers a top-tier overview of the SEO landscape. Ryan provides an impressive amount of information on how to improve your website according to Google’s standards and how to run a profitable SEO agency which is a unique insight that people will find a high amount of value in.

While maybe not the best book for just the basics, it goes above and beyond in teaching you the ins and outs of the business.  The book is dubbed as a blueprint, and Ryan isn’t using the term lightly. He is highly knowledgeable and passionate about SEO, and his step-by-step no-nonsense approach shows you how to do SEO from the ground up with no additional fluff.

Check it out here!

9. Search Engine Marketing for E-commerce Business by Joe Balestrino

This book was designed to help optimize Shopify sites or other eCommerce platforms. It provides real-life examples which were specifically designed with the book in mind. This helps put real problems that thousands of people have encountered so that you don’t have to.

While SEO may not be the focal point, it provides enough of the basics for it to qualify as an SEO book. This book is on the list because it does a great job in marrying your SEO and SEM efforts together. Thus, maximizing Google Analytics and Search Console to achieve a grander vision in the digital marketing landscape.

Check it out here!

10.   3 Months to No.1: The “No-Nonsense” SEO Playbook for Getting Your Website Found on Google by Will Coombe

Will Coombe runs a successful SEO Agency in London and has brought together resources that helped him get to his point. He offers a no-nonsense approach and caters to those looking to buckle down and put in the work. 3 Months to become number 1 doesn’t get done by not working hard. The book is designed almost like a course he would teach and provides you with a walkthrough complemented by extensive and informative videos to help you progress.

All this is for your to see your results quickly and feel a sense of accomplishment after 3 months. Seeing your progress week by week does wonders and helps you gain confidence very quickly.

The book will help you

  • Discover SEO’s greatest secret – that it isn’t rocket science!
  • Save thousands by doing SEO yourself or with your in-house team
  • Filter profitable traffic to your site
  • Learn what on earth to do with your social media
  • Effectively direct and monitor people doing SEO for you
  • Gain the industry knowledge to call out anyone full of ‘BS’

Check it out here!

We hope these 10 books can lead you in the right direction to bolster your SEO efforts. We found the latest SEO books we could find in order to help you gain the latest tools and techniques moving forward. Whether you are a beginner or a more seasoned individual, there is something here for everybody. Remember to always optimize with the user in mind!

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